After months of conflict members of the Maywood School Board and the Maywood Village Board have had recall petitions opened against them by local citizens.

Maywood school district patron Timothy W. Wolfe requested four recall affidavits from County Clerk Darla Walthers on July 22nd. Wolfe is asking for the recall of four Maywood School Board Members, the four members are Lyle Koester, Donita Werkmeister, Sheri Hartley and David Dodson.

Tim Wolfe’s actions were taken after a variety of discussions at school board meetings pertaining to work performed on the superintendent’s residence.

“It’s a disappointment that none of the board members have responded yet, so to me that shows they are more than likely guilty and if this gets to re election it’s up to the voters if the school board members will stay or leave,” said Wolfe.

School board member David Dodson had no comment on the recall. Messages left for school board member Sheri Hartley were not returned by press time, while efforts to contact school board members Lyle Koester and Donita Werkmeister were unsuccessful at press time.

As of July 22nd County Clerk Darla Walthers sent out certified letters to the four school board members giving them twenty days to reply with a written response. If the members choose to reply, their response will be included on the petitions for the public to read.

Following the twenty day response period, Walthers will issue petitions to Wolfe for the gathering of signatures.

Wolfe will need to gather no less than 98 signatures in 30 days in order to force a recall. There will be separate petitions for each member; each must contain at least 98 signatures.

Signatories of the petition must be registered voters within the district. Signatories must include their address and date of birth in order to be valid. The address and date of birth are required in order for the clerk to verify each signatory is a registered voter and living in the district.

If Wolfe collects the required signatures within 30 days, the petitions must be submitted to County Clerk Darla Walther who will then have 15 days to review the signatures and validate their authenticity. No new signatures may be added after the initial filing of the petitions with the clerk and no signatures may be removed unless the clerk receives an affidavit signed by the person requesting his or her signature be removed prior to the petitions being filed with the clerk for signature verification.

If the recall petitions are found to have enough signatures, the clerk shall notify the school board that a recall election is necessary. The school shall order an election to be held not less than thirty days nor more than seventy-five days after the notification of the officials whose removals are sought.

According to County Clerk Walthers the minimum cost of recall election is $2,500 and this cost would be absorbed by the district.

Maywood Village Board

member petitioned for recall

On the village board front Maywood resident Joe Schmidt also requested one recall affidavit from County Clerk Darla Walthers on July 29th. Schmidt is asking for the recall of Colleen Stone who is a member of the Village Board. As of July 29th County Clerk Darla Walthers has sent out a certified letter to Stone about the recall, Stone will have 20 days to reply with any written response and this response will be included on the recall petition. Following Stone’s 20 reply period, Schmidt will then have 30 days to collect 41 signatures in order to force the recall. Signatories must be registered voters within the village.

“I am very disappointed with the direction of a recall election Mr. Schmidt has taken with his concerns with me as a Maywood Village Board of Trustee as this step imposes a cost of approximately $3,000 upon the Village funds. I have relayed to Mr. Schmidt on numerous occasions I would sit down with him and visit in person about his concerns in which he has declined. In the past five years of being a trustee I have taken my position on the board very serious and have always put my vote to the direction that will be in the best interest of the residents of Maywood as well as the financial position of the Maywood Village funds. I ask for the continued support of the Community of Maywood and ask that if you have a question or concern to please call and visit with me. I will continue to do my best as a Village Board of Trustee for Maywood,” said Stone about the recall petition.

Schmidt declined to comment on the petition.

If it is found Schmidt has collected enough signatures an election must be called by the village board to be held not less than thirty days nor more than seventy-five days after the notification of the officials whose removals are sought.

County Clerk Darla Walthers estimated the minimum cost of recall election for the Maywood Village Board would be $1,600, which would be funded by the village.